Updraft: May 4, 2009 Archive

Bursting the bubble

Posted at 6:32 AM on May 4, 2009 by Craig Edwards

Here is what the Dallas Cowboy Complex looked like prior to being collapsed by strong thunderstorm winds. Nearby winds were measured at 64 mph. Estimated winds were likely in the neighborhood of 75 mph.

Initially the storm damage was thought to have been caused by a tornado. There were no funnel sightings at the time. Meteorologists believe the winds were the result of a microburst or a strong downdraft associated with thunderstorms.

Take Severe Thunderstorm Warnings seriously. This season, the National Weather Service will issue warnings for storms with the potential to produce one inch diameter hail (up from three quarter inch) or greater and winds of 58 mph or greater.

Have your NOAA Weather Radio nearby?

CE

What's in a name?

Posted at 4:32 PM on May 4, 2009 by Paul Huttner

Hurricane Ike nears the Texas coast in 2008

If weather was baseball hurricanes would have a jersey number.

Instead they have names. The lists rotate every 6 years. If a hurricane does enough damage, the name is retired.

The World meteorological Organization retired 3 Atlantic and 1 Pacific hurricane names for 2008. Say goodbye and good riddance to Gustav, Ike and Paloma in the Atlantic names list. In the Pacific, Alma is history.

New Orleans narrowly escaped Gustav, a category 2 hurricane at landfall on September 1st. Ike was a very destructive category 2 storm with landfall on Galveston Island on September 13th. Ike featured a ferocious storm surge for a Category 2 storm which got the experts to rethink storm surge and the Saffir Simpson Scale.

These names join the list of other retired storms. Names like Andrew, Katrina and Rita will be forever etched in the memory of those along the Gulf coast.

Let's hope there are no more retired hurricane names from this year's list.

On the home front, look for a typical early May weather pattern. The jet stream riding overhead will send little impulses our way this week. Each one will bring a chance of showers.The first one arrives overnight and early Tuesday. Daytime highs will depend on exact timing of the clouds with these waves and sunshine. If we get sun in the afternoon, we may see more 70's in southern Minnesota this week. Look for highs mostly in the 60's up north this week.

PH